Recently, I had the opportunity to meet Kathleen Inman, general manager and winemaker for Inman Family Wines at a wine pairing dinner at the Slanted Door in San Francisco. Her wines are extremely food friendly with little oak, and go down easy. Kathleen has shared her recipe for Crab & Scallop Cakes with us here, and suggests pairing her Endless Crush brut rosé with it for a light and festive meal. Check out the recipe and read what Kathleen had to say about “Endless Crush.”

“At their best, good food and wine pairings can connect people to each other, and nowhere is this truer than with sparkling wines. The entire genre has practically become synonymous with celebrations, and the very sound of popping open a bottle can liven up the room.

Good sparkling wines can pair with just about anything, but this is a dream pairing. The wine’s acidity cuts right through the fat of the cakes, and it interacts with the salt to create a mouth-watering sensation on the palate.

I should also note that this wine is called “Endless Crush” for a reason. When you are enjoying a bottle of wine with a special person, the wine can actually inspire you and make you feel even more in love. After all, the last thing you want after a romantic meal is to be full and bogged down. Sparkling wine will leave you feeling even better than when you started, and ready to enjoy the next experience!”

Sauté shallots until just soft, then add red peppers and cook a further minute. Set aside. In a food processor, puree scallops, add cream and egg whites and process until blended. Fold in shallots, peppers, green onions, crabmeat and cilantro. Season with cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste. Add ½ cup of cracker meal. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for al least one hour. Form the mixture into patties and dredge in remaining cracker meal. Place on waxed paper and refrigerate until ready to cook. Place a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cakes and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and just crispy. Serve immediately with a roasted red pepper aioli.

Serves 6

They can also be made small, to serve as passed hors d’oeuvres or slightly larger to serve 6 as an appetizer.